Israel claims Iranian missiles dropped banned cluster bombs on central city of Azor
Read for 4 minutes Updated: March 7, 2026, 07:28 PM IST
What are cluster bombs?: Israel has accused Iran of using cluster munitions during the ongoing conflict with Israel, raising concerns about the dangers of such weapons for civilians.
The Israeli military said the weapons had been launched several times since the war began and described their use against populated areas as a potential violation of international humanitarian law. Military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said the army was monitoring the situation closely.
“They have used it several times, it is a war crime when directed at civilians and we are monitoring that situation,” Shoshani was quoted in media reports as saying.
Could you please explain what cluster bombs are?
Cluster bombs are weapons designed to release multiple small explosives, known as submunitions or bomblets, over a wide area rather than producing a single explosion.
The cluster munition warhead deploys in mid-air and scatters dozens of small explosive devices, the Associated Press reports. These bombs then fall over a wide radius and explode on impact.
Military experts say such weapons are intended to cover a larger area and increase the probability of hitting targets, such as vehicles, equipment, or military units spread across the battlefield.
However, a major concern is that some bombs fail to detonate immediately. These unexploded devices can remain on the ground for long periods of time and pose a risk to civilians who might accidentally trigger them.
how the weapon works
Israeli officials said one of the missiles launched by Iran had a cluster warhead instead of a conventional explosive payload.
According to the Israel Defence Forces, the missile exploded high in the air and scattered small submunitions over a wide area.
The weapon detonated about seven kilometres above the ground, releasing about 20 small bombs over an area of eight kilometres.
A submarine reportedly struck a house in the city of Azor in central Israel, causing damage but no immediate casualties.
Israel’s Home Front Command has warned residents not to go near unidentified objects that may remain on the ground after such attacks.
Israel says Iran used them
Israeli officials claim that Iran used these weapons during recent missile attacks on Israeli territory.
The Israeli military claims that during one of Iran’s retaliatory attacks, they launched the missile carrying the cluster submunition towards central Israel.
Footage from the night of March 5 shows multiple flaming projectiles falling from the sky over central Israel, which analysts say is consistent with the deployment of cluster munitions.
Why are cluster bombs controversial?
Cluster munitions are widely criticised because of the risks they pose to civilians during and after conflicts, including the potential for unexploded ordnance to remain a danger long after hostilities have ceased.
More than 100 countries have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international agreement from 2008 that bans the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of such weapons.
However, several major military powers, including Iran, Israel, the United States, and Russia, have not signed the treaty.
Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that unexploded bombs from cluster munitions can remain dangerous long after a conflict ends, sometimes causing injuries years later.
Both Israel and Iran have faced allegations in the past about the use of cluster munitions in regional conflicts, according to international rights organisations and previous investigations.
